Folding apparatus for metallic sheets



June 23, 1925.

T. GANNESTAD FOLDING APPARATUS FOR. METALLIC SHEETS Filed Aug.

3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTUR ThorGannesf'ad.

I June 23, 1925.

T. GANNESTAD FOLDING APPARATUS FOR METALLIC SHEETS Filed Aug. 12, 1922 3 Sheets Sheet 2 I h S w. N\ Q d a W H e mmwm MUfl E v 4 n m m TW \N H. ID NW fa June 23, 1925. 1,543,000

T. GANNESTAD FOLDING APPARATUS FOR' METALLIC SHEETS Filed Aug. 12, 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIG INVENTOR Thor aamrles a his Q. t tamer;

Patented June 23, 1925.

THOR GANNESTAD, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA.

FOLDING APPARATUS FOR METALLIC SHEETS.

7 Application .filed August 12, 1922. Serial No. 581,474.

folding apparafolding apparatus for such purpose whichis simple and compact in its structure, and which is positive and unfailing in its operation. 7

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a plan view of the apparatus of the present invention; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view on the line 2-2 Fig. 1; and Fig ure 8 is a cross sectional view on the line 33 Fig. 1. c

In the drawings the reference numeral 1 designates a floor, beneath the level of which the operating mechanism ofthe apparatus is preferably "disposed; and the reference numeral 2 a base 01' platform of concretecor the like uponwhich the apparatus is mounted. I

The apparatus itself comprises a base portion 3 and two side members or standards 4.

or inoperative position it lies directly in line with thefiooring 1 andwith a stationary platen or table section 7 which is secured to the standards 4. Suitable mechanism is provided for swinging the movable platen 5 through a'seinicircle. I

Inuse of the apparatus the sheet A, which isto" be folded, is placed in position on the-movable platen 5 and stationary, table member 7 sothat it abuts against a stop bar 8 disposed at the rear of the apparatus.

Tlie'sheet A-is'held down along the line of the fold by means of a relatively heavy presser bar 9, which is mounted in a manner stop bar.

'leyf29 mounted on the shaft.

tion of the sheet whichabuts against-the For the first-mentioned purpose the transversely extending stop bar 8 is mounted for longitudinal adjustment in bars or rods 10 by means of bolts 11 passing through slots12 in these bars or rods,wliich are pivotally mounted at 13 in the flooring 1. In order that the entire stop structure may be held yieldingly in position, counterweights 14.:are suspended from angularly extending portions 15 of the barsor rods 10, so that they exert a constant force tending to raisethe forward extremities-of these bars and the stop bar 8. This upward movement is limited by means of slightly offset. feet 16, which engage under the floormg 1. V Y

1 The means for swinging the platen 5 comprise pinions' 17 on the trunnions 18 of the platen 5 and meshing with segmental racks 19 rotatably supported by a cross shaft 20. Segmental racks19 are oscillated by, a pair of connectingrods or pitmen 20*, secured to the racks 19 and'eccentrically secured to a pair of wheels 21 on a cross shaft 22 mounted in bearings 23. A. gear 24 is normally free on the shaft 22, but isarranged to .be engaged therewith by means ofsuitable clutch mechanism 25. Meshing with gear 24 is a pinion 26 on a shaft 27 mounted in bearings. 28. Shaft 27 receives power fromany suitable source by means of a To swing platen 5 and fold the sheet A, in the manner described above,- clutch mechanismi is operated toengage gear 24L with the shaft 23, upon which it-isnormally idle, for a single revolution of thev gear.

'The first half of this single revolution serves to oscillatethe segmental racks 19 in a. counterclockwise direction (with reference to Figure 2 of the drawings), producinga half revolution of the pinions' 19in a clockwise direction and swinging the platen 5 through a semicircular path to fold the sheet A. The remaining half-of the single; revolution of gear 24 oscillates the segmental racks 19 back in a clockwise direction to rotate the pinions 17 and platen 5 through a complete semicircle in a counter clockwise direction back to their original,

or full-line, position ready for the reception and folding of another sheet.

' is necessary that the presser bar 9 be maintained in position on the sheet A alon pulthe line of the fold to be made therein during the first stages of folding the sheet, and that it be removed from the path of movement of platen 5 before the platen has swung through a complete semicircle in folding the. sheet. This action is possible with the mounting and connections provided for the presser bar.

As shown particularly in Fig. 2 of the drawings, the presser bar 9 is mounted on arms 30, which extend angularly therefrom and are pivotally mounted at 31 in the base section 3. Rotatably mounted on shaft 20 is a keeper 3'2 terminating in a hook 33 arranged to engage a bead M on a cross bar 35 extending transversely between the arms 30, which serves to normally maintain the arms in such position that the presser bar 9 rests upon the sheet A to clamp it to the stationary platen 7 along the line of the fold. Rigidly securedto or integral with one of the sleeves3'7, by which the segmental racks 19 are mounted on the shaft 20, is a bracket 38 having a knock-off pin 39 adjustably supported therein, as by means of a screw threaded engagement between the pin and the bracket. When therefore the racks 19 are oscillated to swing the platen 5 in making a fold, the knockoff pin 39 strikes the keeper 32 and forces the hook 33 thereon from engagement with the bead 34 on cross bar 35, permitting the arms 30 and presser bar 9 to be swung rearwardly by the means provided for such purpose.

The means for swinging the presser bar 9 rearwardly beyond the path of movement of the platen 5 comprise arms 40, formed integral with the segmental racks 19 and pivotally connected with rods 41 extending longitudinally of the apparatus. In these rods or bars 11 are slots 4-2 which embrace pins 43 on the arms 30. When, therefore, the segments 19 are oscillated, the rods or bars 41' act upon the arms 30 to swing the presser bar 9 rearwardly out of the path of platen 5 and into the dotted line position shown in Figure 2 of the drawings.

It will be noted that the knockoff pin does not operate to free the arms 30 from keeper 33 upon the initial movement of rotation of shaft 20, and that there is an appreciable lost motion in the connection between the pin 43 and the slot 42 of bar 41. It is therefore of importance that the presser bar 9 be so arranged that it is swung rearwardly on an arc of flatter trajectory than that on which the platen 5 itself is swung, in order that it may be beyond the path of the platen when the latter completes its folding move ment. K

The platen 5 is returned to its original position by the second half of the single revolution of gear 2 1, this movement being transmitted by the pitmen 20 to move the segmental racks 19 from left to right, with reference to Fig. 2 of the drawings, and impart rotation in a reversed direction to the pinions 17 on the trunnions of platen 5.

During this movement of the rods or bars 41, they act upon the arms 30 to restore the presser bar 9 to operative position. During the return movement of platen 5, a sheet may be quickly advanced to lie upon it and the stationary platen 7 for folding; or, after the return of the platen 5 to its original position, the presser bar may be disengaged and raised manually to permit the insertion of the sheet.

It should be noted that the folding is performed by the simple rotation of a single plate or section, and also that movement in both directions for making the fold and for returning the movable platen to its original position is accomplished by the same identical mechanical elements. Other advantages of the apparatus will be appreciated by those skilled in the art to which the invention pertains.

What- I claim is:

1. In folding apparatus for metallic sheets the combination of a rotatable platen with means for swinging the same through an arcuate path, stop means mounted to yield in a vertical direction against which a sheet abuts when in position for folding, a member arranged to clamp a sheet along the line on which it is to be folded, and means arranged to swing said clamping member out of the path of movement of the platen during folding movement thereof.

2. In folding apparatus for metallic sheets the combination of a rotatable platen with means for swinging the platen through an arcuate path,stop means mounted to yield vertically against which a sheet abuts when in position for folding, a presser bar arranged to bear against the sheet to be folded along the line of the fold during an initial portion of the folding movement of the platen, and means for withdrawing said presser bar from the'path of movement of" the platen prior to the completion of its folding movement.

3. In folding apparatus for metallic sheets the combination of a stationary sheet receiving platen with a rotatable member mounted adjacent said stationary member and'contiguous therewith, a clamping member arranged to clamp a sheet along the line of the fold, movable mounting means for said clai'nping member, and means actuated by movement of the platen for swinging said clampingmember out of the path of movement of the platen during an initial portion of the folding movement thereof.

4-. In foldingapparatus for metallicsheets the combination of a rotatable platen with means for swinging said platen through an arcuate path, a member arranged to clamp a sheet along the line on which it is to be folded, and means arranged to swing said clamping member beyond the path of movement of the platen during the folding movement thereof along an arcuate path of flatter trajectory than that described by the platen.

5. In folding apparatus for metallic sheets the combination of a rotatable platen with means for swinging the platen through an arcuate path, a presser bar arranged to bear against the sheet to be folded along the line of the fold during an initial portion of the folding movement of the platen, and means for swinging said presser bar beyond the path of movement of the platen during an initial portion of the folding movement thereof along an arcuate path of flatter trajectory than that described by the platen. 6. In folding apparatus for metallic sheets the combination of a stationary sheet receiving member with a rotatable platen mounted adjacent said stationary member and contiguous therewith, a clamping member arranged to clamp a sheet along the line of the fold, movable mounting means for said clamping member, and means actuated by movement of the platen for swinging said clamping member beyond the path of movement of the platen during an initial portion of the clamping movement thereof along an arcuate path of flatter trajectory than that described by the platen.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto set my hand.

THOR GANNESTAD. lVitnesses W. E. BALLARD, E. B. WALTERS. 

